Holding the door, moving on, the chamber
Subject: What Surin saw
"Let's close this big door first. Who knows what creature made these claw marks on the door?"
From: Kevin
Subject: What Surin saw
Mark, with Harp's darkvision, can he see any farther with the little bit of light they have? He should be able to see at least 60' from where he is, torch light or no, correct?
The power supply on by highspeed modem/router/wireless gateway went bad this past Friday. I have ordered a new power supply but it will not be here until Wednesday. I will be checking e-mails during the normal working day from my work computer (as normal) but will be totally unable to check e-mails at night through at least Wednesday. If any one wants Harp to do something, you better ask it during the 7-5 work day.
From: Mark
Subject: What Surin saw
Power supply? Likely excuse.
I did give Harp a 60 foot sight with his dark vision. I said that the hallway opened into a room but htat he can not see anything else in the room. Harp and Mund are only about 10 feet inside the door.
From: Kevin
Subject: What Surin saw
It was tested with a voltmeter and where it should be putting out 5.1 volts, it was putting out 1.1 volts. I just hope it did not kill the modem/router/wireless gateway at the same time.
Unless he hears or is asked to do something to the contrary, Harp will continue to advance into the room, pausing at the end of the 30 ft hallway to try and get a better look around.
From: Kevin
Subject: What Surin saw
Mark, I forgot to put in that Harp took the key ring. He did not take the money or the ring.
From: Porter
Subject: What Surin saw
In that case, Mund takes the money and the ring.
From: Karl
Subject: What Surin saw
"No!" Salix says firmly. "We cannot just rush in. We don't know how many more there might be, or who else might be on their way. " He turns to the doorway Harp and Mund have entered. "Harp! Come back out here and hold this other door! I'll go with Mund."
Salix will go with Mund since he is the only one likely to recognize the Stormfather, if he is in this room. Or even more importantly, he's the only one the stormfather is likely to recognize if he is wildshaped.
(OOC - is there any obvious way to lock the door heading towards the other guards?)
From: Porter
Subject: Acer
I'm trying to remember -- where and when has Mund met the Stormfather?
From: Kevin
Subject: Acer
I think Karl means that Salix is the only one to have met the Stormfather. If Salix takes Harp's place, he would be able to identify Acer where as Harp might not.
From: Mark
Subject: Acer
Karl meant that Salix is the only one who knows what Acer looks like. I think he wants Harp to guard the southern door in case the four guys in armor show up.
From: Mark
Subject: What Surin saw
No there is no obvious way to lock the door. There was no lock on it and it opened out into the hallway.
From: Karl
Subject: Acer
The antecedent to "he" in my sentence is Salix, not Mund.
From: Kevin
Subject: Holding the door
Is there some type of handle that Harp can grab onto?
From: Mark
Subject: Holding the door
There is a latching mechanism but it is not very large.
From: Kevin
Subject: Holding the door
Harp hears Salix call from the doorway. Damn, he wanted to help find the Stormfather if he was in there, but if Salix was calling him back, there must be a reason. Harp hurries back to the main room and listens to what Surin and Salix have to say. Hearing that there are armed men coming their way, Harp says to Salix "Hurry up and go see if the Stormfather is in that damn place. I don't know how long I'll be able to hold the door" Ragnar, give me a hand with this, would you?" Harp then goes over to where the door is and prepares himself. As he looks at the door, he says to Salix before he leaves the room "There's not much to hold onto here, and they can beat the door down if needed. Is there anything else we can do to slow them down or distract them."
From: Porter
Subject: Moving on
Mund makes sure his torch is secure on his shield and then nods to the Druid. "Let's go see what we can find."
From: Karl
Subject: Holding the door
Right now, just be quiet. They may not even be coming for us."
(OOC - we *don't* know if they are coming for us, right? We just know there were 4 guys getting suited up. They could have been preparing for some part of the ceremony, right?)
From: Karl
Subject: Moving on
Let's hurry. There could be trouble back in the room soon."
From: Porter
Subject: Moving on
Mund starts forward in the lead with Salix coming behind him.
From: Kevin
Subject: Holding the door
OOC: The group that heard from Surin got the idea, I think, that these guys were getting ready in response to something and our fight was the most recent thing.
The other option is to try and lure them into the room, but then we have 4 full armored guys who know we are there.
Mark, was my earlier write up about the door not having a good place to hold onto accurate?
From: Josh
Subject: Holding the door
Kal shakes his head when Salix holds the party back, but stands waiting.
From: Mark
Subject: Holding the door
Yes. There is a place to grab on to, but you would have to either drop your shield or your sword to use it. And holding a door closed when someone is pulling on it is harder than holding a door closed when someone is pushing on it.
From: Mark
Subject: Turn
Ok I will write up the turn tonight. It will likely be after 10PM since the season finale of 24 is on tonight.
From: Kevin
Subject: Holding the door
Harp has a buckler strapped to his arm, so it would not be in the way if he is using his hands to hold the door closed. He could sheath his sword and have both hands free, right??
From: Mark
Subject: Holding the door
I forgot about bucklers. Yes, he can use one hand and keep the buckler on. If he uses both hands then he has to put the sword away.
From: Mark
Subject: The chamber
Just as Harp and Mund are about to move down the hallway, Surin reports back. At hearing about the 4 men Kal wants to attack immediatly. Salix, however, is more cautious. "We don't know if that is all of them or even if they know we are here. The Stormfather is the mission. Harp, get back here and watch the southern door. I'll go with Mund. I'm the only one who knows what he looks like and I'm the only one he might recognize as well. If he has been able to wildshape, he might kill you before he knew you were here to rescue him."
Harp is not happy about being pulled from the front line, but accedes to Salix's orders. When he gets to the southern door he looks for ways to slow the progress of intruders. "Kal, can you stand back a bit. Ran, can you go help Salix and Mund? Ragnar and I will be the front line here. You use your magic if there are any casters amongst them." Kal nods, still not happy with Salix's decision. The dwarf moves over next to Harp. "Harp, give me a hand with these so there is room for me" Ragnar says indicating the bunk beds. Harp nods and the two quickly push a couple of the beds out of the way. They then take up position in front of the door.
With Mund beside him and Ranthir brining up the rear, the three move down the hall. Mund can see much in his torch light but Salix and Ranthir see more in the dim light than the human. 60 feet in from the door the hallway opens in to a large room. As they approach the two ½ elves can make out some features of the room. Along the north wall are two large tables. These tables each have a large wheel and pulley mechanism on them, easily recognizable as a rack torture device. Even more horrifying are the two desiccated bodies still attached to the machines. Unmoving, their grey, pallid skin reflects the death that has claimed them. A rictus of pain fills their faces. On the west wall hangs another body from a set of manacles.
Along the rest of the walls are tools of torture and pain. Saws, knives, pulling instruments. Tools which make the three wince in pain just to imagine how they might be used. An iron maiden sits in one corner, its metal spikes gleaming dully in the pale light. A large iron door is in the southern wall.
OODM: What do the three want to do?
From: Kevin
Subject: Holding the door
He is going to sheath his sword.
IC: When he gets Rangar's attention, he says "Brother, time to work together. Give me a hand putting this timber across the bottom of this doorway and then get ready to help me against these guys".
OOC: Mark, Harp wants to put the timber across the bottom of the doorway, extending on either side. It will give him someplace to place his feet as he grips at the door and exerts himself to keep it from opening.
If only we had a good way of attaching the beam to the door. Oh well.
From: Mark
Subject: Holding the door
Ok since this will not make a major change, assume that Harp and Ragnar have done this.
From: Poter
Subject: The chamber
OOC: I didn't realize that Ranthir was coming with Mund and Salix. Let me retcon a little bit.
IC:
Before they head down the hall, Mund gets right in front of Ranthir and says quietly but with intensity "Do not run out ahead on your own." Mund then turns around and heads down the hall.
From: Mark
Subject: The chamber
Well I added that but made sense. Randy is gone for the week and I would be surprised if you guys kept three fighter types and the cleric at the door while only two went in to investigate. There is not really enough room for him around the door either.
From: Karl
Subject: The chamber
"Let's check that door. It looks like a holding cell." Salix will move toward the door, being careful to look for traps or any other threat in the room as best he can without taking too much time with it.
From: Porter
Subject: The chamber
No worries, as long as you don't mind me retconning. :)
From: Kevin
Subject: Holding the door
While Harp is getting ready in case the guards come around the corner. a thought pops into his mind. "Surin, you think you could rig that pit trap back where we came into this area to be triggered by pulling a rope from the other side? If we have to make a quick exit and we got people following us, that hole in the floor would sure put a slow down on them. Go check it out real quick."
OOC: Mark, the trip mechanism/trigger was not closely described, but I am looking to see if Surin can rig it so that we can run over it going out but then trip it by pulling a piece of rope from the other side, or maybe turing the trigger back on.
From: Bryan
Subject: Holding the door
OOC: Good idea. I was thinking of moving behind one of the beds nearer the door in an attempt to get behind them, but that should work much better. Can we get a better description of trap, too?
IC: Surin will attempt to re-enable the trap in such a manner as to allow it to be remotely triggered via a rope or similar device.
From: Derek
Subject: Holding the door
Allistair isn't so sure. "That might be a good idea if we were back in the room with the guards. Right now though, if we fell back to behind the pit then Salix, Mund, and Ran would be cut off. We should concentrate on holding this room until they return."
"Surin, if those 4 guys come in and it becomes a battle, I want to cast invisibility on you. I have an improved invisibility that will allow to attack without the illusion being shattered. Also, do you want to use that dagger that we got from the priest we killed? I have a hunch that it may be very effective, but without knowing what magic it has that may be a little risky."